But Where Are the Fads of Yesteryear?*
|
|
Caption: Presumably, if you alter skin color and appearance you will have a better group. Not depicted: political, ideological and intellectual diversity.
No, my fads are not naked stadium streakers, pet rocks or Garbage Pail Kids. Rather my focus is on management fads.
How many do you remember?
Here are several including a couple duds for you to spot:
Theory X and Theory Y
MBO (Management by Objectives),
One-Minute-Management
Rank and Yank
SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats)
TQM (Total Quality Management
ZD (Zero Defects).
Scientific Management,
Self-Managing Teams
Holocracy
Humanocracy
MBWA (managing by walking around)
Hierarchy/Bureaucracy
All of these so-called fads had one thing in common: a desire to improve productivity, to improve quality, and to streamline work processes; and for several, to involve workers in decision making for improving products and services.
For me, the best parts and philosophies of the substantive fads live on. I used them and had very good results with individuals and groups who were willing to take a different approach to the status quo.
For example, TQMs focus on and for the client, the customer, can be seen to this day in American hospitals and their close attention to patient experience.
Alas, many workers mistrust change and adopt the "I'll wait it out" strategy, and confound the desired result, no change. Hence, the idea fades away through practiced disinterest.
Lately, I am thinking management fads are in short supply.
That's not to say there are no fads. There are current fads which have little to do with work but more with the feelings of those who do the work. I refer to
DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion),
ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance), and
Wokeness (politically correct speech)
If faddish, is DEI different from the fads of yesteryear?
Significantly, none of the three mentioned have much to do, at least explicitly, with improving work flow, production and service delivery for a better bottom line or happier customers/clients.
Asking the question "what's the payoff for the bottom line?" risks my being targeted as a non-believer and in urgent need of re-education.
And, there is an assumption that all but the woke are ideologically lacking and must be trained to become racially aware, to appreciate and celebrate differences and to stop making decisions dominated by an alleged white supremacy. Indeed, ambition and showing up for work on time, and taking work home are to be avoided.
While management fads like MBO and TQM are about keeping an eye on the fries, DEI and ESG seemingly ignore the bottom line. Some claim that ESG improves value for the stockholder, but many others describe just the opposite, a drop off in value and a burdensome additional regulatory and reporting requirement.
While making claims of greater productivity, these belief systems add complexity and cost to production and service.
If George Orwell were alive, I fear he would find acres of fertile ground for writing a DEI Animal Farm expose:
All workers are equal.
Some workers are more equal than others.
All three of these require, indeed mandate, commissars and regulators to assure adherence and to shame the disaffected and uncooperative.
At one time HR had a mini-office of Affirmative Action to nudge us in the right direction for fairness and equal opportunity; now, in some large organizations the DEI commissars number in the hundreds.
While no doubt their efforts are well intended, I have to ask what value do these enforcers add to the organization's product?
Would not promoting and practicing the ten-word Golden Rule across the organization have a more powerful positive effect?
Crassness alert: If you cannot abide the biblical Golden Rule, how about a pan-organization No Dickheads policy?
I got a taste of how the DEI commissars insinuate themselves.
Caption. Dilbert at Implicit Bias Re-education Camp.
I serve voluntarily on a national project review board. When I termed one proposal to export DEI to the third world as being vague on outcomes, I was encouraged to complete a questionnaire about my implicit bias. If I failed to pass, I would need to be re-educated or dismissed from the panel.
*Francois Villon, 15th century, asked, "Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan?"(But where are the snows of yesteryear?)
***********
STEAL THIS BOOK, if you can.
:
And, for examples of effective workplace collaboration with clients:
Leading from the Middle, is available at Amazon.
Copyright all text John Lubans 2024
John Lubans - portrait by WSJ